A 23-year-old BSF personnel who had been injured in cross-border firing in Poonch area of Kashmir along the Line of Control,and was brought to AIIMS on August 12,has been operated upon for spinal injuries at the institute. Doctors say he will probably be a paraplegic for life.

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Doctors have removed a bullet that was lodged in the spine of the personnel,Pawan Kumar. They say that while he has regained some sensation in his lower limbs,chances of recovery of movement in his legs are very slim.

Dr Deepak Gupta,a consultant in neurosurgery at AIIMS who operated on the personnel said,There are a number of minute shrapnel,less than a few milimetres,that we could not touch,for fear of damaging his spine. He has regained some feeling of touch on his legs after the surgery,but he will probably need rehabilitation for life.

Gupta added that the personnel had been removed from ventilator support on Wednesday. The patient is recovering from spinal surgery in our ICU. His vitals are stable,and he is conscious, Dr Misra explained.

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Sources said Kumar had been signing his attendance,when a sniper bullet hit him in the back,and he collapsed on the floor.